Austin ISD is under state investigation for celebrating Pride Week

The Texas Education Agency launched an investigation into the Austin Independent School District for celebrating its annual Pride Week.

A TEA spokesperson confirmed with KUT News the state has opened an investigation, but declined to comment since “the matter remains ongoing.”

The investigation comes after conservative State Board of Education member Brandon Hall, from the Fort Worth area, raised concerns in March about AISD breaking the law and working to “indoctrinate” students by celebrating Pride Week.

“It’s time to defund AISD and criminally investigate Superintendent Matias Segura,” Hall said in a social media post.

During an interview with the conservative nonprofit Texas Values, Hall said taxpayers in his district were concerned about state funding going into a district where “instead of focusing on education they are focusing on gender identity and celebrating pride and things like that.”

“[If] we don’t stop it in Austin ISD, we are going to see more of this across the state,” Hall said. “We need to make a statement and set an example. We will not put up with you breaking the law.”

Hall stated that AISD was not complying with Senate Bill 12. The law passed in 2025 and prohibits “diversity, equity and inclusion duties,” including activities that reference gender or sexual orientation, at K-12 public schools. The law also bans the creation of clubs based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

AISD held Pride Week from March 23 to 27 with the theme “beYOUtiful.” Students’ participation was voluntary, and activities took place outside instructional time, including before or after school or during lunch.

Activities included displaying photos of students’ families, wearing wacky socks and sitting with different people during lunch. On the last day each grade level wore a different color to school.

In their guidelines, district officials said AISD celebrated Pride Week during March to “show support” for the diverse students, staff and families. Officials also acknowledged that in past years the district had provided a suggested curriculum and had distributed swag to schools, but that this year it would look different due to “an ever changing environment.”

It is unclear what penalties the district could face. SB 12 states that any employee who engages in or assigns to another person diversity, equity and inclusion duties must be terminated.

This is not the first time AISD has come under scrutiny in recent months. In March, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton notified the district about a complaint regarding a violation of Senate Bill 8, also known as the “bathroom bill.”

In February, Paxton launched an investigation into AISD after students participated in a national walkout. The results of that investigation remain unknown.

KUT News has reached out to AISD for comment but has not heard back.